In 2024, the Climate Capacity project presented day-long grant writing trainings in communities across California. Now, the resources from that training are available here:

  • 9 slide decks presenting the day’s resources and training topics
    Training topics for the day are organized to match the sections of a proposal, a logical argument that builds from section to section to create a persuasive justification for project funding.
  • 14 tools and examples shared with trainees
    The tools and example files provided are referenced in the training slide decks. When a resource is pictured in the slide deck, look for it in the list of tools and examples below.

Resources and Training Topics

(1) Overview of the Day – Descripción de la Agenda del Día (13 slides, PDF, 2.2 MB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

(2) Organizational Capability – Capacidad Organizativa (15 slides, PDF, 1.4 MB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

(3) Statement of Need – Declaricion de la Necesidad (17 slides, PDF, 682 KB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

(4) Funder Search – Búsqueda de Donantes (11 slides, PDF, 549 KB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

(5) Goals and Objectives – Metas y Objetivos (14 slides, PDF, 631 KB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

(6) Program Design and Logic Models – Plan del Programa, y Modelos Lógicos (16 slides, PDF, 1.3 MB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

(7) Program Evaluation – Evaluación del Programa (14 slides, PDF, 856 KB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

(8) Program Budget Development – Desarrollo del Presupuesto del Programa (16 slides, PDF, 837 KB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

(9) Sustainability Planning – Planificación de la sostenibilidad (8 slides, PDF, 659 KB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

Tools and Examples

Budget Appendix – Apéndice del Presupuesto (10 slides, PDF, 348KB, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

10 more slides on budget terminology and categories, and additional tips for budget development.

Budget Example – Ejemplo de Presupuesto (1 page, PDF, 149KB, Eng-Spa side by side in budget spreadsheet)

Simple example budget for a wellness center, showing budget categories of personnel, benefits, other direct costs, and indirect.

Budget Narrative – Narracion del Presupuesto (2 pages, PDF, 145KB, Eng on one side, Spa on reverse)

Budget narrative, matching the budget example, for common categories like indirect, fringe, and supplies. Look at these examples to start building a library of commonly used budget narrative for your proposals.

Data Maturity Model (ENG) (1 page, PDF, 157 KB, English only)
Data Maturity Model (SPA) (1 page, PDF, 162 KB, Spanish only)

How ready are you to use data in your organization? A plain language introduction to thinking about how your organization uses data now and how to increase your “data maturity.”

Evaluation Appendix – Apendice de la Evaluacion (15 slides, PDF, 600K, Eng-Spa side by side in slides)

15 more slides on program evaluation. Detailed explanation of the PDSA model (Plan, Do, Study, Act) that tests changes in a program. Evaluation plan example and sample text on evaluation that could be used in a proposal. Explanation of the Data Maturity Model and advice on working with evaluation consultants.

Go or No-Go Matrix (ENG) (4 pages, PDF, 210 KB, English only)
Go or No-Go Matrix (SPA) (4 pages, PDF, 210 KB, Spanish only)

Scoring matrix to help decide whether you and your team are ready to go on preparing a grant opportunity, or whether a no-go decision is wiser, given your current organizational resources and the proposal’s requirements.

Grant Tracker (ENG) (Excel spreadsheet, 13 KB, English only)
Grant Tracker (SPA) (Excel spreadsheet, 13 KB, Spanish only)

Spreadsheet to track grants applied for and their outcomes, helping you maintain a big-picture view of funding resources applied for and received.

Logic Model Template (1 page, PowerPoint template, 57 KB, English only)

PowerPoint template with a standard logic model chart-style layout and prompts to help you fill in the resources, activities, and anticipated outputs and outcomes for a grant-funded project. Includes instructions on how to use a graphic layout in PowerPoint.

Project Workplan Template (1 page, Word, 40KB English only)

Table format example of a project workplan, listing Goals and Objectives, describing how grant activities align with them, and identifying measures of success for each set of activities. Editable table format with brief text for an example project’s activities included.

Sample Brief Proposal – 1 pager (1 page, Word, 153 KB, English only)

Briefest possible proposal sample, showing sections of narrative for an example project. This 1-page example is how a project might be described in a letter of interest, or an extremely short proposal submission.

Secondary Data Sources List – Lista de Fuentes de Datos Secundarias (1 page, PDF, 133 KB, Eng-Spa side by side in list)

List of data sources, descriptions, and links for community, environmental, and climate data.